Reamer



June 17, 1930. H. P. WICKERSHAM REAMER Filed Dec. 21. 1922 I 0/2: Wife/way the tool being drawn up into a casing.

Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT err-ice.

I HARRY P. WICKERSHAM, OF BREA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO'HENRY GEORGE YAH-RAUS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA REAMER Application filed December 21, 1922. Serial No. 608,164.

This invention has to do with a reamer, and has particular reference to. a reamer of the general character. used in drilling Wells, and it is an object of the invention to provide 5 a simple, efiective and improved device of this character.

The reamer provided by this invention is particularly adapted to be used in connection with a rotary drilling rig as it is ofthe type which is opened to operating position by being rotated in the direction of operation.

It is an object ofthis invention to provide a reamer of the. character specified in which the blades or cuttersare mounted and'ar- 13 ranged so that they are secure and are particularly reliable in their operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a reamer of the character specified which is simple, compact, strong, and durable-in its 23 construction.

a3 said means being that all of the cutters-are secured by a single: member.

Another object of my invention is to provide a, simple reliable means whereby the cutters are moved to the closed position upon Thevarious objects and'features oimy invention will be. best and more fully understood irom the following, detailed description of a typical preferred embodiment of 35 the invention, throughout which reference is had. to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a reamer ,cn-= structed in accordance with the present in? 4 vention, certain parts being broken away to show in section;

Fig. 2 1s a detail transverse sectional view: taken as indicated bylllne 22 on F1g.; 1;

Fig. 3 1s a detall tIEIIISVGISGLSGCtIOIlELl'VlQW 45 taken asindicated by line 3 3- on Fig. 1,

showing the reamer in operating; position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing; the reamer collapsed;

Fig. 5 is, a vertical detail sectional. view taken :asindicated by line Ea-*5: oil-Fig; 1 and;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectiona-l View taken as indicated by line 66. on-Eig. 1.

The reamer provided by the present invention includes, generally, a body 10, an upper end part .11, a lower end partl2, andcutters 13. The cutters are arranged-at" theobody 10 and between the upper andqlower end parts 11 and 12 so that they are movable between an in or closed position where they lie close to the body, and an out .oropen posi-, tion where they project from the body.

The body 10, in accordance with the-preferred form of my-invention, issubstantially Z shaped,- in cross-sectional configuration,

and is uniformly shaped throughout its length. Thebody hasa central part'14'a-nd flange parts 15, which extend in oppositedirectionsfrom opposite edges of the central part 14 so that the central part and flanges form a Z, as Ihave clearlyillustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The Z formed by thecentra-l part 14 and flanges 15 is symmetrical'with relation to the longitudinal axisof the reamer, and is proportioned so. that the outer edges of the flanges 15 areaturther removed from the axis of the reamerthanthe edges of'the central part 14 In accordance withkthe preferred form-of construction, the points 16 of the body, formedby the central part 14and flanges 15 are rounded, and the corners 17,

formed between the central part 14 and flanges 15. are also rounded.

Although I prefer-to form the body as an integral-unit, as I have illustrated inthe drawings, itmay, of course, be built upnof several separate partsif such construction is found necessary; ordesirable. By forming and shapingitheibody, asIl have hereinabove described, and as I have clearly illustrated in the drawings, it is'particularly strong. and rigid;

The lower endpart 12 is'located at;thelowerend ofthe body 10 and is preferably formed integrally with the lower end-of the body 10. The lower-end; part 12 is preferably round: in, crosssectional configuration and is formed at its'lower end'with aascrew threaded socket 18 adapted to :receivethe shank ofa shoe, or-other device. In thedra=w=. ings :12; show i the shanli;..19 of; a suitable: cone are pling member 20, screw threaded into the socket 18. The coupling member 20, may, of course, be employed to carry a shoe, a bit, or any other suitable device. The body 12 is formed concentrically with the longitudinal axis of the reamer and is preferably of the same diameter as the body 10.

The upper end part 11 is located at the upper end of the body 10, and is preferably formed integrally with the body 10. A screw threaded shank 21 is provided at the upper end of the upper end part 11 to serve as means by which the reamer may be attached to or mounted on a suitable operating member, for

instance, on the lower end of an operating rod. I prefer to form water-courses or openlugs 22 longitudinally through the upper end part 11, so that water, or the like, may be fed from the operating member which carries the reamer to the body portion of the reamer. I preferably locate the water-courses '22 so that they will deliver water at each side of the central part 14 of the body 10. It will be obvious, of course, that the water-courses can be conveniently formed in the end part 11, by drilling into the end part from its upper end and through the shank 21.

The cutters 13 are carried between the upper and lower end parts and are arranged in connection with the body 10 so that their inner edges 24 are located in the corners 17 of the body and so that they are movable between two positions, one where their outer edge portions 25 project beyond the body 10, and the other where their outer edge portions 25 lie within the body 10. In accord ance with the preferred form of my invention, I recess or counter-sink the corners 17 somewhat, and I round the inner edges 24 of the cutters 13 so that they seat or bear closely in the corners 17. The corners 17 and inner edges 24 of the cutters are curved about common axes, which extend longitudinally through the inner edge portions of thecutters, so that the cutters can rotate about said axes and still hear or seat firmly in the corners 17. The outer edge portions 25 of the cutters 13 are dressed or bevelled away so that the cutters have sharp cutting edges 27. The cutting edges27 are, of course, formed at the forward outer corners of the cutters so that they will operate upon the reamer being rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. 4

In accordance with my present invention, the cutters 13 are supported or backed up in the out position, as illustrated in Fig. 3, by means of lugs or projections 30 formed on the inner faces of the flanges 15 near their outer edges. There are several projections 30 located near the edge of each flange 15 so that each of the cutters is backed up or supported at several points along its length. The proj ections 3O beinglocated at the outer portions of the flanges'15, and being spaced apart,

form groovelike openings 31, through which mud, or the like, can readily escape during opening of the cutters from the closed position illustrated in Fig. 4, to the open position illustrated in Fig. 3. This is a particularly noteworthy feature of my invention as it allows any mud, or the like, that may be between the cutters and projections during opening of the cutters to freely escapein all directions from between the cutters and projections so that the cutters properly engage the projections.

It will be noted from inspection of the drawings, and particularly Figs. 3 and 4, that the outer edge portions 25 of the cutters project a considerable distance beyond the other parts of the reamers when the cutters are in the out position, andthat they are within the body of the reamer; that is, within the path of the flanges 15 but be yond the corners 16, when in the in position, as illustrated in Fig. 4. When the cutters are in the in position they lie close behind the central part 14 of the body and project somewhat outwardly beyond the edges of the central part of the body so that they will be caught by material passing the ends of the central part of the body upon the reamer being rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in'Fig. 3. hen the cutters are in the in position and the reamer is rotated in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, material, for instance, mud and the like, passing the ends of the central part 14 of the body will catch the cutters and cause them to move to the out position illustrated in Fig. 3. WVhen the cutters are out, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and the reamer is rotated in the direction illustrated by the arrow in Fig. 4, the end portions of the cutters projecting beyond the outer edges of the flanges 15 will catch material passing the flanges so that the cutters are moved to the in position.

The upper outer corners of the cutters are bevelled off, as I have clearly illustrated in the drawings. The bevelled 01f corners are dressed or cut so that their forward edges 90 are higher than their rear edges 91. I shape the upper outer corners of the cutters in this manner so that the cutters will automatically close uponthe tool being drawn up into a casing. When the tool is drawn up into a casing the forward edges 90 of the corners engage the lower end of the casing, or a shoe carried on the lower end of the casing, so that there is inward'pressure on the cutters caus ing them to swing in.

In accordance with my invention, the cutters are removably pivotally carried by the end parts 11 and 12, so that they will operate in the manner just described. The cutters are pivotally mounted by means of trunnions 40 provided on their lower ends to extend into openings 41 formed in the end part 12 and trunnions 42 provided on their upper" ends to extend into recesses 43 provided in the upper end part 11. The trunnions 40 and 42 are preferably formed integrally with the cutters and so that they are concentric with the axes of curvature of the inner edges 24 of the cutters. The openings 41 provided in the lower end part 12 rotatably carry the trunnions 40 and are preferably formed by boring through the end part from the socket 18. The recesses 43 are, of course, located at the lower end of the end part 11 adjacent the body 10 and extend inwardly from thesides of the end part. The inner ends 44 of the recesses 43 are curved so that they conform to the curvature of the trunnions 42, as I have clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. The trunnions 42 are held in place in the recesses 43 by blocks 45, which slidably fit into the recesses and are retained in the recesses by a single locking ring 46. The upper inner end portions 47 of the blocks fit over the upper ends of the trunnions 42, while the lower inner end portions of the blocks 45 are cut away to receive the trunnions 42. The blocks 45 fit the trunnions 42 so that they, together with the inner ends 44 of the recesses, form bearings which completely support the trunnions. The blocks are held up in the recesses so that they do not bear down on the cutters by means of ribs or projections 50 projecting from the sides of the blocks into grooves 51, provided in the walls of the recesses. The locking ring 48 screw threads onto the end part 11 at 52 and has an extension 53 with a tapered part 54 which cooperates with the tapered outer ends of the blocks 45 to Wedge the blocks tightly into the recesses upon the locking ring being screw threaded into place. It will be noted from an inspection of the drawings that the upper end part 11 is somewhat smaller in diameter than the other parts of the reamer and that the locking ring 46 is substantially the same diameter as the body 10 and lower end part 12. Vhen the locking ring 46 is screw threaded into place it secures both of the blocks 45 in position so that they retain the trunnions 42 in place in the recesses 43. When the locking ring is removed and the blocks 45 are removed there is suflioient room in the recesses 43 above the trunnions 42 to allow the cutters to be moved vertical enough to move the trunnions 40 into and out of the openings 41. The pivotal mounting of the cutters provided by the present invention is noteworthy as it allows the cutters to operate without binding, is not located at the op erating portion of the reamer so as to be in the way or so as to interfere in any way with the operation of the reamer and is extremely simple, efiective and secure.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the operation of my reamer will be clearly and fully understood. I have described the construction of the various parts .of the reamer; have describedhow the cutters are opene-d to the operative position by rotationofthereamer in one direction; and how the cutters arermoved to the-collapsed .pcsitionby operating the reamer in the other direction. It will be noted from 'my description and from the drawings that my reamer is particularly simple, compact and strong. The configuration of the body and-the general arrangement of the variousparts of the reamer are such that the reamer 1s partlcularly strong and durable-andis reliable in operation. r

Having described only a typical preferred form of my invention, I ,do-notwish to limit myself to the specific details hereinab-ove set forth but wish to reserve to. myself any changes or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described a preferred form of my invention, I claim:

1. A tool of the character described including, a body, end parts in connection with the ends of the body, one'of the end parts having a round opening the other having a recess, a cutter adapted to bearrangedat the body, trunnions on theends of the cutter one adapted to extend into the opening the other adapted to extendointo the recess, a

the ends of the body, one of the end parts being formed with round openings the other" bemg formed with recesses, the openings being concentric with the recesses in the body and the recesses in the end part being-opposite the openings, cutters adapted to be arranged in connection with the body, the inher edge portions of the cutters being rounded to seat in the recesses in the body, trunnions formed on the ends of the cutters to extend into the openings and into the recesses in the end parts to pivota-lly support the cutters so that they are movable to a position where they proj ect from the body and are supported by the projections, blocks. adapted to be arranged in the recessesin the end part to retain the trunnions therein, and means for locking the blocks in the recesses.

3. A rotary well underreamer including a body, end parts in connection with theends of the body, longitudinally spaced projections on the body, and cutters arranged at the body and having fixed trunnions projecting from their ends and pivot-ally carried by the end parts the trunnions supporting the cutters so that they are movable between in positions Where they are Within the body and out positions Where they project from the body and are supported by the projections on the body.

4. A rotary Well underreamer including, a body having a central part and flange parts extending in opposite directions from opposite edges of the body part, end parts in connection with the ends of the body, spaced pro jections on the outer portions of the flange parts, cutterg trunnions fixed on the ends of the cutters pivotally carried by the end parts so that the inner edge port-ions of the cutters are supported in the corners formed by the parts of the body and so that the cutters are movable to a position where they project from the body and are supported by the project-ions.

5. An expansion Well reainer of the character described including, a body, and parts in connection with the ends of the body, one of the end parts having a round opening the other having a recess, a cutter adapted to be arranged at the body, trunnions fixed on the ends of the cutter one adapted to extend into the opening the other adapted to extend into the recess, a block adapted to be arranged in the recess to retain the trunnion therein, and means for locking the block in the recess.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 23rd dayof N 0v., 1922.

HARRY P. WICKERSHAM. 

